Meet the food vendor for our conference!

DeutschTroit is a pop up restaurant project focused on bringing the flavors and recipes from regional Germany directly to you. DeutschTroit consists of hobby baker and entrepreneur Jana, an immigrant from Deutschland (Germany) and Shawn a seasoned Chef and food lover from Detroit – a match made in heaven! After a trip to Germany together in 2017 the decision was made – they have to bring German food to Metro Detroit and introduce people to these rich classic and contemporary flavors like Schnitzel and Currywurst. DeutschTroit was born! They work with old family recipes and the real (German) ingredients even if they are hard to find sometimes. They want to have the most authentic taste possible. Danke!

Meet a DBC Member and conference panelist!

Cornelius Harris,

cultural activist, founder of Alter Ego Management and label manager of Underground Resistance (UR), the legendary techno collective from Detroit. Started by Jeff Mills and Mike Banks, UR has been called “the heart, soul, conscience and consciousness of Detroit’s influential techno scene.” Harris joined UR in 1995, inspired by their marriage of music & message.

He is a musical artist manager and cultural critic, overseeing tours, project management, artist development and scheduling. He specializes in international touring and urban revitalization through music and other creative industries. He is a founding board member of the Detroit-Berlin Connection as well.

Meet one of our conference panelists!

Zac Bru is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and sonic proselytizer. As head of the Detroit Bureau of Sound, Zac Bru uses experimental music to create multisensory experiences, one of which was described as “sounding as raw as mating bull elephants” (Lansing City Pulse on “X is for Xenakis”, 2013). He has brought two productions to Red Bull Arts Detroit (John Cage Rave, and Rejecting Reality) and has appeared at the Detroit Institute of Arts with curated programs of percussion music alongside featured artists from Ghostly International (Matthew Dear and Shigeto). More information at DetroitBureauofSound.com @detroitbureauofsound on fb/ig

Meet one of our conference speakers!

Lutz Leichsenring is the co-founder of the Creative Footprint and one of the world’s leading authorities on protecting creative industries. In 2018 Lutz co-founded VibeLab, an organization that aims to engage, connect, inform, promote, and counsel cross-sector stakeholders to keep cities vibrant and flourishing after dark. Recognizing that music venues are cultural assets that significantly enrich and improve society, the VibeLab network helps those who are seeking out new paths to make a change in their community. Since 2009, Lutz has been the spokesman and executive board member for the Berlin Clubcommission. He has fought tirelessly for the rights of Berlin’s vast underground club scene by organizing demonstrations, conferences, workshops and by speaking at round tables and parliamentary committees.

Meet one of our conference speakers!

Mirik Milan is the former Amsterdam Night Mayor responsible for launching the independent night mayor role which liaises directly with the municipality of Amsterdam. He is also co-founder of Berlin’s VibeLab, an agency that advocates for night economy initiatives around the world. His work helped create similar government positions in over 30 other global cities. Elected in 2012, Milan worked directly with the nightlife economy in Amsterdam. While night mayor, 24-hour venue permits were granted and crime around Amsterdam’s Rembrandtplein was reduced. Milan’s work was replicated in places like London with Mayor Sadiq Khan’s 2016 appointment of “night czar,” Amy Lamé, and New York’s Ariel Palitzin 2018.